Survey to find potential water sources for Transform Peel project to begin

AN airborne electromagnetic survey starts today over the Peel Food Zone to provide new and detailed information on potential water resources for the Transform Peel project.

The data collected from the survey will be used to help assess the quality of the groundwater and model the potential impacts of future groundwater abstraction on existing users and water dependent ecosystems.

The survey involves a helicopter carrying a large coil about 30m above the ground, which sends an electromagnetic pulse into the ground and records the return signal.

When completed, the survey will provide information about the geological properties of the groundwater system, groundwater salinity and the location of the saltwater-freshwater interface.

The survey is part of the Peel Integrated Water Initiative, co-ordinated by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation in collaboration with CSIRO and the Peel Development Commission to support Transform Peel.

The investigation follows the start last September of a study to determine if recharging aquifers with stormwater could help secure long-term water supplies for intensive agriculture for Transform Peel’s Peel Food Zone and adjacent Peel Business Park.

Water Minister Dave Kelly said the models developed through the survey were an important part of ensuring sustainable management of water, both for the environment and for the economic growth created by the Peel Food Zone.